Wildfire danger remains high

May 02, 2001|By JEFFREY HOGAN

GAYLORD - Even with Tuesday's scattered thundershowers, state Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) officials warn area residents and visitors alike that Otsego County will remain under a high alert status for wildfire development for the next several days or until substantial rainfall hastens the spring green-up of dry vegetation.

On Monday staff at the National Weather Service (NWS) office near Waters issued a red-flag warning - its highest weather alert for wildfire conditions - for a 23-county area of northern lower Michigan as conditions were prime for fires to spread quickly once started. The area encompasses Otsego, Montmorency and Crawford counties.

Meteorologist Brian Adam said three factors combined Monday to necessitate the issuing of the weather bulletin - an alert broadcast specifically to notify the DNR, U.S. Forest Service and local municipally-operated fire department personnel to be on heightened status due to deteriorating weather conditions.

In order for the NWS to issue a red-flag warning, said Adam, sustained wind speeds must be 12 mph or higher, temperatures must be 75 degrees or higher, and humidity levels must be under a 25-percent level.

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"These three things combined can spell trouble for wildfires, because provided there's enough dry material on the ground and a fire is started, it could spread very quickly and burn very hot because of the warm temperatures and stiff wind," said Adam, who noted Monday's warning was the first of its kind issued this spring.

The short-term forecast doesn't spell much relief, added Adam, though there are a chance of scattered showers through the end of the week. "For things to really improve there needs to be a significant rainfall - a real soaker - and that's just not in the immediate forecast though if there are isolated thunderstorms that pop up they can drop some substantial rain," he said.

The forecast isn't good news to Vern Gale, supervisor of the DNR's forest management division, who said the next several weeks are typically the height of the fire season for northern Michigan and the service expects to see more action as wildfire conditions are expected to continue to range between high, very high and extreme.

The DNR's Gaylord field office has not issued any burn permits since April 26 to people looking to rid their yards of brush, leaves and stumps, though area residents may still burn their household trash in an approved burn barrel (with holes no larger than 3/4 inch).

Supervised backyard or campground campfires are also still allowed, though fire officials remind people to never leave a fire unattended, and when done, to extinguish the blaze with liberal amounts of water (not sand, which can still allow fire to smolder).

Before starting any sort of brush fire, especially during a period of dry weather as being experienced in Otsego County, the DNR reminds residents they must first call its 24-hour, burn-permit hotline (732-6400) which via a recorded message will inform callers whether permits are being issued at this time. If conditions allow, instructions for obtaining a permit will follow.